The NFL is only getting stronger, with more folks watching than ever and no reason to think the excitement will wane anytime soon. Though there could come a day where player safety makes the game unwatchable, that seems to be a long way off.

The four playoff games last weekend averaged 34.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched wild-card weekend on record. The 49ers’ win over the Packers in frigid Green Bay had 47.1 million viewers, the best number ever for a wild-card game.

Some notes about the regular season: NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” was the No. 1 show in prime time for the fall TV season for the fourth year in a row. … An average of 21.2 million viewers watched the NFL on Fox, making this the most-watched season in the 20 years the network has televised games. … CBS’ average of 18.7 million was the second highest in 26 years.